Borrow The Moonlight
by NessieGG
Summary: Brandon muses about Maria, how he pretends to be good enough for her, and how his friends disapprove of their relationship. Mainly introspective. One-shot.


Hi, guys! As a warning, this is my first Gun Grave fic, so when/if you flame, please take that into consideration. A short one-shot for funsies.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gun Grave. It is the property of Nightow.

Warning: PG-13 for some language and a bit of sexual innuendo (that's our Harry).

Note: The title is taken from lyrics for the now "As Long As You're Mine" from the musical, "Wicked."

Borrow The Moonlight

By Gundam Girl

From his upper bed on the bunk he shared with Harry, Brandon stared at the single sliver of moonlight that streaked across the tiled floor. There were usually thick plastic blinds that assured the room complete darkness. Randy was sleeping on the bottom bed of the other bunk, Jolice was stationed above him faking sleep, like him, and Kenny was on a low cot on the floor. Harry wasn't home yet and had another hour or so, depending on how long he'd be still with Amanda (or was it Vicki?).

So, with his friends not paying attention to him, Brandon watched the dust float in that strip of light. Though it was dust, it was entrancing – it was as though the dirt was pretending to be moonbeams, something better than what it really was.

Brandon smiled thinly. He was a lot like the dirt. He knew that. Maria's father knew that. But Maria couldn't seem to realize, or if she did, she never let him remember it when he was with her. Or was that his own fault?

There she was again. No matter what Brandon did, Maria was never far away, lingering in some back room of his mind, and waiting patiently for his attention. She had been waiting patiently for a long time now.

It was amazing to him still, though people like him didn't normally believe in the amazing, that Maria had noticed. Well, many girls had noticed him – the bad gang boy – but Maria had seen past the color of his eyes and wanted to know the story in them. She knew no details, of course, other than that she had met Kenny and the others. Brandon tended not to speak much to her, like anyone else around him.

Part of him regretted that and always had, a part of him that wanted to open up to Maria. She'd had a strange effect on him since he'd first spotted her coming out of school almost four months ago. At first it had swept over him like a punch to the gut. But, as he had felt many of those in his life, he could distinguish the subtle difference, and that had probably been desire. That had admittedly startled him at first since he'd gone through life with as little impact from that as a man could get. Then a genuine interest had sprouted as she started popping up all over town, their paths crossing continually as though someone was making it happen on purpose. Finally, she had spoken to him when he'd nearly squashed her to death between him and the sidewalk when he'd been ripping out of an alley with Harry.

He had agreed, at Harry's urging, to buy her coffee in apology for the incident. Maria hadn't protested although she told him later it was unnecessary. Brandon gave her a point for that maneuver too. She was a polite woman, but she also knew how to get her way.

Maybe that's why his friends were so wary of her. Harry had had some unfortunate encounters with a few of the more ambitious women and had nearly swiped him and the other four clean of anything of worth they'd had. Smarter now, they didn't trust easily. Although that cake did seem to help.

Harry came in then, his moves silent as to not stir Randy or Kenny. Jolice was never asleep until everyone was home, like the mother of sorts.

"You're back early," commented Brandon softly because he knew Jolice wouldn't.

"Sophie has an early class tomorrow," Harry explained. "She needed some real rest."

So it was Sophie this time. Brandon returned his eyes to the ceiling as Harry stripped down to his boxers and crawled into bed. "How is she?"

A light snort was heard from below him. "Do you really care?" There was silence for a minute and then Harry asked, "How's Maria? I mean her well-being," he added quickly before Brandon could scowl. "Jesus, Heat, you're still a freaking virgin."

Brandon could detect the slight disapproval in his friend's voice. He spoke shortly, but his tone was as neutral as ever. "Jester took her to a concert tonight. Piano, I think she said."

Another snort. "She must be _great _then." Again, silence. "Sorry, Brandon. I just don't dig the ones who like Pavarotti. Anal women aren't for me unless we're talking a bit different. And come to think of it, they shouldn't be for you either, pal. Because face it. Who the hell are we to rank up to chicks like that? To people who actually want to care for us?" Harry chuckled, and Brandon let out a slow breath. "We're nobody like that, Brandon. So we don't get what people like that get. 'Kay? One day, you and Maria – you're from different worlds. You're gonna have to split."

_We're not even really together, _Brandon wanted to say. Instead, he turned on his side and winced a little at Harry's chainsaw-like snoring. Jolice would be sleeping now.

His eyes found that light again and the would-be moonbeams floating through and through it. He _was_ like the dirt, borrowing the moonlight to feel more worthy than what he was. He borrowed Maria. Because Harry was right.

One day things borrowed needed to be returned.

Review please!


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